Questionable claims, pseudoscience and dangerous nonsense — Here are the top stories from Doubtful News this week.

Hypnosis thief on video using seemingly magical methodsLast week we posted a story about a lawyer accused of inappropriate behavior via hypnosis. This story of a robbery that appeared to take place by the "hypnosis thief" left police scratching their heads. What’s going on here when one allows a perpetrator to root through his pockets and then says he doesn’t recall what happened?

Two stories of dangerous, delusional faith healers who will continue practicing - in Australia and Canada.

Hard-to-stop convicted sex offender still practicing faith healing In St. Mathieu D’Harricana in northwestern Quebec, Claude Provencher has been repeatedly accused and even convicted of sexual offenses but he still claims he is a gift from god. An undercover media report reveals his sick methods to "heal" women who come to him for care.

Two stories from India that reflect the struggle between old prescientific notions and a move to modern thought.

There shall be no mocking of astrology in India!But there will be here! A parliamentary official, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, remarked that the concept of the atom was known centuries ago in India, that ayurveda medicine was mocked but now accepted, and that astrology was just like astronomy. Some laughed at him. I know I did.

Meanwhile…

Kerala pursuing anti-superstition lawThe legacy of assassinated rationalist Narendra Dabholkar continues to be felt in India as the more progressive state of Kerala seeks to promote legislation against the practice of sorcery and black magic that deceives citizens with supernatural promises.

Brain train down the drainBrain training software companies were knocked off their pedestal when a large study showed such programs have no merit is raising IQ and increasing intelligence. Actually, exercise works better - go for a walk.

Peter Underwood, paranormal researcher, passed at age 91Paranormal researcher Peter Underwood, expert on the haunting of Borley Rectory, supposedly the most haunted house in England (but rather thoroughly debunked), passed away in November. He had appeared on U.K. TV shows about hauntings and the paranormal.

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SWIFTis named after Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver's Travels. In the book, Gulliver encounters among other things a floating island inhabited by spaced-out scientists and philosophers who hardly deal with reality. Swift was among the first to launch well-designed critiques against the flummery - political, philosophical, and scientific - of his time, a tradition that we hope to maintain at The James Randi Foundation.